


Out of The Blue

by AClosetOtaku



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aquaphobia, Fluff and Angst, Hearing Voices, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Lance is a helpless seed, M/M, Merman Lance, Panic Attacks, Running Away, Slow Burn, Swimming Away?, klance, truemates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2018-12-30 08:25:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12104688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AClosetOtaku/pseuds/AClosetOtaku
Summary: It is said that a Blue can control the tides. That a Blue has the power to heal and make what was not, whole again. That a Blue's presence means time for peace and prosperity.It is also said that to be bonded to a Blue means to have control over them and therefore the sea. That for a Blue to be controlled means the comings of death and destruction.No one wishes to have the fate of a Blue for the fate of a Blue is surely to be tragic.





	1. Quiznak'd

Lance woke slowly with an ache in his body that went bone deep. It was worse then that one time he had gotten into a scuffle with an oceanic white tip. What could he say he wouldn't lose a new ship wreck find to anyone, he was stubborn like that. He would definitely take that pain over this though, he felt like an orcas chew toy. Jeez, he had slept on some pretty rough corals before but this was something else. Where in the world had he slept to make him feel like this? Where had he slept? When had he even gone to sleep?

All of a sudden Lance was very aware of the fact that not only could he not remember about going to sleep in general but he couldn't even think of what happened the day before. His eyes snapped open as it all came rushing back to him.

The storm.

How had he forgotten about it? As he lay there all the pieces were starting to slide back into place. Swimming away from home. being terrified of getting caught. How a storm had come surging up out of nowhere. Trying to swim through it. Getting caught up in the strongest rip curl he had ever felt in his life. And then, blackness.

Lance's eyes darted around trying to adjust to the murk, as he soon realized he had no idea where he was. He tried blinking several times to no avail, it was simply to murky. He supposed it didn't matter though, he could just swim around until he found a spot where the water was more clear. He gave a powerful swish of his caudal fin and instantly regretted it. 

Pain.

Excruciating pain, went shooting up his tail all the way to the top of his dorsal fin. He let out a sharp trill making a grab for his tail, only to be met by resistance and another bout of pain.

What was going on?

Why couldn't he move?

Although the water was cloudy he could just make out the gleam of silver that seemed to snake its way around his body, going from his shoulders all the way down his tail where it disappeared into the murk. He tried to wiggle his way free but every time he moved whatever he seemed to be caught in would bite into his skin leaving behind a searing pain.

As the panic of his situation began to sink in he started to thrash around. He fought through the pain that was tearing into his body as he tried to break free. With all of his movement he had kicked up a cloud of sand that had begun settling over him and into his gills. He stopped moving as he chocked on the sand that was making its way into his lungs. A fire started to burn in his chest as each breath he took in was loaded with sand. He began to panic again as he chocked on the silt that was invading his lungs. 

Air.

He needed air!

He started pounding his tail again, panic officially taking over his body. Just as the tightness in his chest threatened to take over Lance broke the surface. He took in deep gulpfulls of air through his gills, one after the other, trying to clear the silt from his lungs. As he finally got his breathing back under control Lance took the opportunity to take a quick look around.

He knew he had to be close to shore with how shallow the water was, which wasn't good. As he looked around his heart sank with just how wrong he was. His eyes darted back and forth trying to make sense with what he was seeing. He wasn't close to shore, he was on it.

Sand.

Sand.

Sand.

Everywhere his eyes looked was sand. He tried to look behind him but he was having a hard time turning around with what he was caught in. He ended up just tipping his head back to what was behind him. Maybe he was just turned about and the ocean was back that way.

Wrong.

Lance let out a sharp trill as his head tipped all the way back. He couldn't even explain what he was seeing. Taller then a kelp forest, a cavern of some sort loomed over him. Although it was flatter and straighter then any cave or reef he had ever seen. He had no idea what it was. All he knew was that it definitely wasn't the ocean.

As he tipped his head back forward he let out a trill of frustration. What was going on? He knew he had to be close. After all he was floating in sea water right now wasn't he? He was just beached or something he told himself, trying to calm his now pounding heart. Eventually the current would come back in and he could escape. Yeah that was it. He just had to wait out the tides.

He glared up at the sun that he could already feel uncomfortably warming his skin. His heart seemed to stop in that moment.

The sun.

How long before all the water he was in was wisped away? In that moment Lance almost regretted leaving home. Almost regretted escaping his horrible fate. He had finally gotten away only to be trapped again. No one knew where he was. No one was coming to save him. He was stuck surrounded by land with no idea of what could possibly happen to him. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was totally and utterly quiznak'd.

 

~~~~~

 

Keith woke with a dull headache that was already beginning to throb. The storm that seemed to roll in out of nowhere last night had prevented him from getting any sleep. Between the pounding rain, crashing wind and worrying about Shiro, Keith hadn't been able to sleep a wink. Which had resulted in his aching head and a stiff neck.

Keith had tried calling Shiro multiple times throughout the night but he just couldn't seem to get through. He could only hope that the ship that he and Matt were currently researching on had managed to stay out of the worst of the storm. He would call Pidge later to see if they had heard from Matt. Until then all he could do was wait.

Easier said then done.

Keith grunted as he rolled out of bed. What he needed was a distraction. He thought back to the storm and the damage it had probably caused to the yard. He supposed if he was going to distract himself there was no better way then physical labor. Already beginning to dread what he would find waiting for him outside, he made his way downstairs. 

It was a disaster.

The yard was in far worse condition then he had expected it to be. One thing was for sure, this hadn't been an ordinary storm. It looked more like a hurricane had come tearing through. It was clear from the damage that the tides had made their way up much further then was normal. Although the water had already receded, from the trail of debris it had left behind it was clear that it had made its way across the beach, over the sand dunes, through the fence, and past the pool all the way up to the back porch.

The pool.

If the yard was a disaster the pool was a train wreck. The water was so cloudy it looked more like the ocean itself then a pool at this point. That wasn't even the worst of it. Most of the debris that had been torn up in the storms wake had seemed to find its way through the yard and was now resting or floating in the pool itself.

Keith blanched at the thought of having to clean it out. Keith had never been fond of water. Although he had always been drawn to the ocean as a child he had never enjoyed its presence. It had become quite a problem as he was growing up. Storms and rain had unsettled him to the point of panic attacks and horrible nightmares. Taking a bath or a shower had turned into a traumatic event. Fortunately for Keith and his family, he had grown out of his fear for the shower, although it would still cause him anxiety. Unfortunately his fear of water and the ocean would always be present.

Keith sighed as he tore his eyes away from the pool to take another look around the yard. There was just so much debris everywhere. He would definitely need to give Hunk a text to see if he could come over with his truck to haul this crap away. He should probably tell him to bring Pidge along as well. He would need all the help he could get. He pulled his phone from his back pocket and opened up a group chat.

Lost Boy: Hey do you guys think you could stop by later with the truck?

Mischief Managed: I smell manual labor.

Hunkules: Why, what's up buddy?

Lost Boy: The storm did a real number on the yard. Gonna need to take a couple loads to the landfill.

Mischief Managed: ...

Hunkules: Storm?

Lost Boy: Yeah. The storm that came through last night.

Hunkules: Uh Keith buddy, what are you talking about?

Lost Boy: You guys are joking right?

Mischief Managed: Although I pried myself as being Joking's #1 fan I honestly have no idea what your talking about.

Lost Boy: You guys didn't get a storm by you last night?

Hunkules: No... Are you feeling ok buddy?

Mischief Managed: Yeah Keith, I know Shiro being gone isn't easy on you. Have you been getting enough sleep?

Lost Boy: I'm not hallucinating Pidge!

Mischief Managed: Just sayin. Wouldn't be the first time.

Lost Boy: Pidge I am not hallucinating!

Hunkules: Hey guys...

Mischief Managed: Whatever you say Moana.

Lost Boy: I thought I told you to stop calling me that.

Mischief Managed: You did. I chose to ignore it. Moana.

Lost Boy: Ugh, just, come over and see for yourself then.

Mischief Managed: I accept that challenge.

Hunkules: Hey guys not to interrupt this epic battle or anything, but I actually cant make it today. Sorry.

Mischief Managed: What! but now is the prime time to study Keith in his full state of delusion!

Lost Boy: Pidge! I am not delusional!

Hunkules: Yeah Pidge I'm pretty sure Keith is telling the truth.

Lost Boy: Pretty sure....?!

Hunkules: Well...

Lost Boy: Whatever. So why cant you make it today?

Hunkules: Oh yeah, I'm super busy at the café today, but I can do it tomorrow.

Lost Boy: Tomorrow it is then I guess. That good for you Pidge?

Mischief Managed: Oh yes I never back down on a challenge.

Hunkules: What time should we come over?

Lost Boy: Around noon good?

Hunkules: Sounds good. Ooh I'll bring lunch!

Mischief Managed: And peanut butter cookies!

Lost Boy: And on that note...

Keith put his phone away with a shake of his head. They had to be messing with him right? There were times when certain parts of the island would get rain and others wouldn't, but this? There was no way the whole island hadn't been effected by this in some way at least. They had to be joking. Whatever the case may be there was still an entire yard to clean up and he wouldn't be getting any help until tomorrow. Trying to put the weirdness he felt out of his mind, Keith got to work.

 

~~~~~

 

Keith was exhausted. He had been working in the yard all day and it hardly looked like he had done anything. He hadn't even touched the pool and if he could help it he would keep it that way. He knew he should probably try to get more done but with the sun about to set he decided to call it a day.

He had just started taking his gloves off as he was heading in when some movement from the pool caught his eye. He thought he saw a flicker of blue but now that he was looking at it there was nothing there. Maybe the pool lights were malfunctioning he thought to himself. Well, whatever it was it could wait until tomorrow. With a shrug he finished pulling off his gloves when he saw it again.

Although the water was still a bit cloudy he could see a faint glow of blue just under the surface. That's weird he thought, taking a step closer to the pool. The lights were only around the edge of the pool but the glowing seemed to be coming from the middle. Just then there was a ripple in the water making him freeze in place. 

Keith's eyes darted frantically around the pool looking for any other signs of movement but didn't see any. If there was a swamp monster in his pool he was sooo going to rub it in Shiro's face. Where was Pidge when you needed a co conspiracy theorist?

Although Keith couldn't remember hearing of any swamp monster that was blue maybe the storm had dredged up one of those deep dwelling fish with those dangly lights, like the one from Finding Nemo. Keith didn't know how big those fish got, but he was sure from the light it was giving off it was far to big to be one of those, unless there was a whole swarm of them? Did those things travel in packs? Keith wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

Just then another ripple in the water had him pulling his attention from all his theories back to the pool. Keith focused on where the ripple had come from which seemed to be the source of where the light was coming from as well. He followed the light from the middle of the pool up to the edge where there was a big pile of debris floating and almost screamed.

Eyes.

A pair of glowing blue eyes were staring right at him.


	2. You know this is how people die in horror movies right?

"Holy shit."

As soon as the words left his lips Keith watched the pair of eyes dart below the surface.

"Holy shit... holyshitholyshitholyshit!"

To say Keith was shocked was an understatement. He had just been teasing himself really, about there being a swamp monster in the pool. Something Shiro did all the time, not about the pool, but about Keith seeming to believe in unbelievable things. He hadn't actually expected there to be anything. He thought that the debris in the pool was just shifting around or something. Settling to the bottom maybe. He hadn't expected to see a glowing pair of eyes.

Holy shit, he just saw a glowing pair of eyes!

Keith stood staring at the pile of debris where the eyes had been. The eyes were gone now, but the weird blue glow was still there. I am not hallucinating, he told himself. The fact that the blue glow was still there was proof of that. But where did it go? The pool was so full of crap there was no way it could be easily moving around in there. Maybe it was stuck?

Only one way to find out.

Keith slowly made his way around the pool one anxious step at a time. It wasn't that Keith was scared, no, it was just that it wasn't every day you found a potential swamp monster in your pool was all. Keith kept a firm hold on his gloves as he came around the pool to where the pile of debris was floating. He held them as if somehow they would protect him, like a shield of sorts. This is it, he told himself, trying to calm the knots that were now forming in his stomach. He took a deep breath not about to back down now and crouched down toward the pile.

As Keith sat there on the back of his heels peering over into the pool a voice that sounded distinctly like Pidge's popped into his head saying, "you know this is how people die in horror movies, right?" Keith almost laughed at himself thinking how ridiculous he must look right now. Half bent over a pool waiting for, for what? A mysterious ocean creature to approach him?

Just as he was about to get up actually thinking Pidge might be right, that he was hallucinating, a surge of water came rushing up splashing him right in the face causing him to fall over and let out a surprised yelp.

Keith quickly righted himself, getting his feet back under him, shaking the water out of his eyes. Only to look up and find a piercing pair of glowing blue eyes staring right at him. Keith let out a gasp, not at finding those eyes staring at him, but at the fact that they were not attached to some hideous monster like he had expected, but to what seemed to be the face of a beautiful teenage boy. 

Keith didn't breath. He didn't move. He couldn't. All he could do was stare. Stare at the most beautiful pair of blue eyes that he had ever seen. A blue that would rival the ocean itself. A blue that was so tranquil and deep and, and glowing. His eyes were, glowing. There was a boy in his pool, with glowing eyes.

For some reason a boy in his pool with glowing eyes was harder for Keith to believe in than a swamp monster was. It was almost too, normal? Too real? There had to be a catch, and Keith was almost too afraid to find out what it was.

All of a sudden reality was starting to crash down on Keith and fast. With his breath still caught in his throat, Keith tore his eyes away from the boys face and down below the surface. Where he could just barley make out a body which seemed to be tangled in some sort of fencing and wire and, was that a tail?!

"What the fuck?!" Keith gasped out, but not before it slipped beneath the surface once again disappearing out of view. Keith scrabbled back over to the edge of the pool, peering into the water to see if he could see where it had gone. Crazily enough he found that he was worried for it. There was so much crap in the pool and from the brief glance he got he knew it was already tangled up in something. If it stayed in there any longer it was bound to get injured in some way, if it wasn't already. He had to try and get it out. There was only one problem.

He couldn't swim.

Keith had a burst of panic run through his body at the realization that in order to help it he would probably have to get in the water. Keith had only been in the pool one time and it was on accident. They had been having a barbeque and of course everyone was enjoying the sun and therefore the pool as well. Keith always made sure that when he was out by the pool he kept a distance of about five feet between it and him at all times. But apparently five feet meant nothing when you get hit in the face by a beach ball causing you to trip over a chair, making you lose your balance and therefore fall into the pool. After that Keith didn't go into the backyard for over a week.

Keith let out a shaky breath at the memory of his past 'swimming' experience. Needless to say it hadn't been a good one and it definitely wasn't what was going to motivate him now. Just then something Shiro once said to him when he was trying to get him into the pool once popped into his head, "come on Keith, you don't even have to swim if you stay in the shallows." Leave it up to Shiro to try and give some great motivational advice when he wasn't even there. It was true though. All he had to do was stay in the shallows.

Just think of it as an oversized bathtub, he told himself. Not that that would actually make anything better. He had stopped taking bathes when he was five, convinced that there had been a voice in the water that wanted to take him away. To where Keith didn't know, but that wasn't the point. The point was, if Keith wanted to help the boy out he was going to have to put all of his fears aside and get into the pool. This wasn't about him, he reminded himself. The creature needed help and time was of the essence. If Keith was going to do something he needed to do it now. 

Before he could talk himself out of what he was about to do Keith stood up slipping his phone out of his pocket placed it on the porch stairs, stripped off his shirt and shoes then very slowly holding onto the ledge for support, lowered himself into the pool.

The water was much colder than he had expected, biting into his skin almost as if warning him he didn't belong. Keith clung to the edge of the pool like a lifeline. Only when he had his feet planted firmly on the bottom did he feel secure enough to let go. As he stood there shivering, water resting just below his chest, he had begun to realize the situation he had just put himself in, causing his breath to freeze in his lungs.

He had just willingly gotten into a pool when he cannot swim with a something/someone that may or may not be friendly with no way to call for help. He stood there motionless for what seemed like forever trying to keep his rising panic at bay.

Before he could really manage to freak himself out there was a ripple in the water and those glowing blue eyes popped back up above the surface again. Keith let out his breath in a solid 'woosh' that left him feeling almost empty. He couldn't believe what was happening right now. Him, standing in a pool, staring back into the eyes of some ocean creature. But he couldn't really call it a creature could he? No, now that he was closer he could tell that it wasn't a creature at all. Other than its, well he supposed they were ears, its face was completely human. Keith couldn't help but stare at the boy, he was assuming it was a boy anyways, he couldn't tell otherwise.

He began taking cautious steps towards him, almost as if he had been drawn by a magnet. As he got closer he was able to see that the boys hair was a rich chestnut brown and his skin was gloriously tan, as if kissed by the sun. He kept on moving until he was only a few inches away, the whole time both of them never breaking eye contact, as if they were under some sort of spell. Deeper than he realized, Keith now stood with only his shoulders and head above the water. 

Although most of the boys body was still submerged, now that Keith was this close he could tell exactly where the glowing had been coming from. Starting under the boys eyes spattered across his cheeks almost like freckles, if freckles could glow, came a faint glowing blue light. This continued on his shoulders and across parts of his chest where the light seemed to take shape in an almost tattoo like pattern. The pattern made its way down his chest and continued on all the way down his torso and even further down his-

Keith couldn't help but gasp as he stared at the boy. Because where the boys legs should have been was a tail. A tail that was caught in so much wire and fencing it was a wonder that the boy could move at all. Keith could clearly see now that the wire wasn't only wrapped around the boys tail but the rest of his body as well. It wove around his torso pinning his arms to his sides then snaked its way back down his body. 

Keith finally understood why the boy kept disappearing beneath the water. It wasn't really that he was trying to hide but that the wire he was stuck in was pulling him down. Keith had to get it off of him. 

Taking a deep breath Keith slowly reached his hand out toward the boy and although he meant no harm the boy clearly had other ideas because he quickly began to thrash around.

"No!" Keith shouted.

"I'm not going to hurt you" he said hoping to calm the boy down. The boy either couldn't hear Keith, didn't understand him or simply didn't believe him because not only was he not calming down, but his thrashing was beginning to increase. Keith started to panic as the boys thrashing grew stronger. He was a lot deeper than he realized and the edge was no longer within reach. He tried to get closer to the boy to try and get some of the wire off but with his thrashing he couldn't get near him. 

Just as Keith was about to try again the thrashing abruptly stopped. Keith shook his head trying to clear the water that had gotten into his eyes as he waited to see what the boy would do next. Apparently he wasn't going to have to wait long because right then the boys head came surging above the water in what seemed to be a coughing fit.

Keith watched as the boy struggled to keep his head above the water, the whole time seeming to cough. Every time the boys head slipped below the surface a moment later he would come rushing back up in another bout of coughing. Keith watched the boy as he pushed the water out of his, he assumed they were gills. Confused as to what was going on, it suddenly hit him, he couldn't breathe. Keith looked down to the water around him and sure enough it was no longer as clear as when he got in. The boys thrashing must have kicked up the sand and dirt making it harder for him to breathe. Realizing then that Keith could no longer keep his distance, he carefully made his way over to the boy. 

Keith struggled through the water and the debris as he made his way over, trying not to get tangled up himself. When Keith finally reached where the boy was he had just slipped back under again and Keith wasn't sure where he would come back up. Luckily only a moment later he came splashing back up right in front of Keith with his back to Keith's chest. Keith took no time waiting and lunged forward grabbing the boys shoulders, pulling him up so his head could rest on Keith's shoulder. At Keith's touch the boy tried to jerk away but Keith held firm. 

"Hey" Keith said, trying to sound as gentle as possible.

"Calm down, ok? Just breathe. I'm not going to hurt you. So just, breathe, ok?" Keith wasn't sure at this point if he was telling the boy to breathe or himself. In all the chaos Keith had worked himself up to the point where his own breathing had become ragged and was now trying to take his own advice and calm the hell down.

Slowly as his own breathing began to calm Keith could feel some of the tension leave the boys body as he finally began to relax against him. Keith let out a deep sigh of relief hoping that now that the boy had calmed he would stay that way. Of course even though the boy was calm that didn't really make their situation any better. The boy was still stuck and so much time had passed that they were about to lose what little daylight they had left. If Keith was going to get the boy untangled now was the time.

Keith knew just by looking at the boy that he wouldn't be able to get him untangled on his own. He was wrapped in so much metal and fencing Keith would definitely need something to help get him out. Keith tried looking around to see if there was anything useful floating around in the pool, but of course there wasn't. What he really need was, wire cutters! Keith slowly reached down to his pocket and, yes! They were still there. He had been using them all day to clear away the washed up fencing in the yard and had been keeping them in his pocket. Luckily with everything that had happened they hadn't fallen out. Now that he knew how he was going to get the boy cut free the only thing left was to actually do it.

"Hey" Keith said, trying not to scare the boy. "I need to get you untangled, ok? So I need to let go of you alright?" Keith looked to the boys face trying to gauge whether or not he understood what Keith was trying to say, but his face never changed. If anything it looked like he had no idea what the hell was going on. Even if he didn't understand Keith still had to try to help him. So slowly letting go of his grip on the boys shoulders Keith moved out from behind the boy and over to the boys side, the whole while keeping a hand under the boys neck so he wouldn't slip beneath the surface again.

"I'm going to try and get you out of this wire, ok?" Keith said gesturing to the wire wrapped around the boy. Keith still wasn't sure if the boy could understand him, but he could tell that his eyes were following his every move and he was afraid that one wrong move would start the boys thrashing again. Which could not happen. Keith then slowly reached down through the water and into his pocket where the wire cutters were while keeping an eye on the boy. Keith could clearly tell the boy was becoming afraid by the look on his face, but he just hoped that his eagerness to be free outweighed his fear at this point.

When Keith brought the wire cutters up out of the water there was a brief moment where the boys eyes widened and Keith held his breath sure that the boy was going to lose his shit. Keith stood there a moment frozen in place waiting for the boy to lash out but nothing ever came. Keith let out a breath of relief taking this as a sign and quickly got to work.

Keith worked as fast as he could without making to many movements. He wasn't sure if the boy really understood what he was trying to do and he didn't want to push his luck so he tried to keep his moving down to a minimum. He was afraid at first that the wire cutters he had weren't going to be strong enough but they had been working pretty good so far and after a few minutes Keith found he was almost done removing the wire from the boys upper body.

Once he had the boys arms completely free Keith immediately started working on the wire that was on the boys tail. Keith was trying to be as gentle as he could, but there were a few times when the boy flinched that had Keith cursing under his breath. He knew he should slow down, be more careful, but he was so close now. No sooner than he had thought it the last wire was cut and the boy was finally free. The moment he cut the last wire from the boys tail Keith should have been prepared for what was going to happen but he was just so relieved he almost missed it.

Almost as if in slow motion he watched the boys tail give a powerful swish and Keith instantly knew what he was trying to do. Keith lunged for the boy barley grabbing his arm as he tried to swim away. As fast as he could Keith pulled the boy towards him wrapping his arms around him and held him to his chest.

"What the hell?!" Keith shouted, his calm and patience officially gone. "We just got you loose and the first thing you do is go swimming back into that shit! You're gonna get stuck again. Just, hang on a second and I'll get you out of here, ok?" Keith had a hard time telling from being behind the boy but if he had to guess the face the boy was making looked pissed off.

"Hey, don't look at me like that! It's not my fault you were about to go and get yourself stuck again." Keith could have sworn he saw the boy roll his eyes but he didn't comment on it. "Now just hold on and don't move." Keith then began slowly making his way over to the stairs of the pool. It wasn't far away but having to sift through all the debris while dragging someone was making it a lot more challenging. Keith was surprised when he reached the stairs that the boy hadn't put up more of a fight of being dragged along. After Keith shifted the boy in his arms so he was almost facing him he understood why, the boy looked exhausted.

"Hey, you better not be falling asleep on me" Keith told the boy as he tried to shift him into a better position so he could pick him up. Even though the boy had gone almost completely limp now Keith was still worried about actually taking him out of the pool. He wasn't sure how the boy was going to react.

"I'm going to pick you up now, ok? So don't freak out or anything." 

Keith wrapped one of his arms around the boys shoulders putting the other under his tail and scooped the boy up almost bridal style. The second Keith had picked him up and started climbing the stairs the boy let out a sound so piercing that Keith almost dropped him.

"Holy shit!" Keith exclaimed trying not to drop the boy. "What did I just say about not freaking out?!" Keith looked down at the boy trying to figure out what was causing him to make such a noise, when his eyes caught on something on the boys tail. Keith's breath caught in his throat at the sight of a long gash running high across the front of the boys tail to around where his upper thigh would have been. Even though it was almost completely dark out now Keith new the sight of blood when he saw it.

"Fuck" Keith cursed under his breath holding the boy closer to his chest. He was going to put the boy back in the ocean but he couldn't do that now. Not with that type of wound. He wasn't sure what the boys healing process was like but he was sure that blood in the ocean wasn't the best idea. What was he suppose to do now? It's not like putting him back into the pool was an option and he definitely couldn't just leave him outside, he needed water.

Just like that an idea flickered into Keith's head. An absolutely stupid ridiculous idea. It's not like he had a choice though, Keith thought as he looked from the boy to the house. "Shiro's gonna kill me" Keith muttered to himself, then made his way inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all thanks for reading! I hope you are enjoying this so far. This story is completely just a make up as I go sort of thing. I'm not really sure where it is headed, but if you want to come along the ride with me the more the merrier! And any questions/comments you might have about this or anything else really feel free to leave a comment or come chat with me on twitter at @OGSpaceMer


	3. Patience yeilds focus my ass...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why I struggled so hard on this chapter, but I did... Whatareyagonnado?... Anyway here it is, hope you enjoy :)

Lance came too with a jolt of pain. He shot up letting out a sharp trill. Something wasn't right. His skin felt tight and dry and everything just, hurt. And what was that pain on his tail?!

"Hey, calm down."

Lance froze.

His eyes darted around until they landed on the source of that voice. It was the land dweller. Hadn't he gotten away from him? Lance remembered the land dweller using that odd tool he had never seen before to cut him free. He thought he remembered swimming away but after that everything went blank. He must have passed out.

Quiznack! How was this happening again?!

Well at least he wasn't trapped in that awful netting any more. At that thought Lance took a closer look at his surroundings and was instantly confused. Where the heck was he anyway? He clearly wasn't stuck on the beach in that little shoal of water anymore. In fact he wasn't in any water at all. The thought of being completely out of the water made his skin feel instantly drier. If he wasn't in the ocean then where was he and better yet how did he get here? And where was 'here' anyway?

He seemed to be resting on some sort of smooth rock with his back up against a wall of some sort. He looked down at his tail which seemed to be dangling over the rock and just hanging there. It was a weird feeling to have his tail just hang in the air like that without water surrounding it. It almost felt like it was no longer connected to his body like it was just hanging there dead. He gave an experimental flick just to reassure himself that his tail was still in fact connected and immediately wished he hadn't.

Pain that was hot and sharp shot up and down his tail until he let out a trill so loud it almost hurt his ears. He went to bend over to grab at his tail when another pair of hands that were definitely not his own got there first stopping him.

"Quit doing that."

Lance jerked back at the sudden touch of the land dweller. When had he gotten so close? He tried to shift back farther on the rock but his back was already pressed up against the wall behind him. He started to flare his fins out in warning but the land dweller just stood there staring.

Lance's nerves shot up as he watched the land dweller reach out a hand towards his tail. He let out a hiss flashing his teeth and flared his fins out as wide as he could trying to look as menacing as possible. Apparently that did the trick as the land dweller jumped back a step quickly drawing his hand back with him. Lance drew his teeth back but left his fins out as he watched the land dweller stare at him with a look of surprise on his face. Lance glared back hoping he had made his point and that the land dweller would now leave him alone.

"Hey don't give me that kind of look!" the land dweller suddenly shouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm just trying to help!"

Lance continued to glare at the land dweller through his sudden outburst. He didn't know what to do. He was out of the water and once again in a situation that he couldn't control. He had promised himself after swimming away that he would never again let himself be at the hands of someone else but the world didn't seem to care about that. He was scared and tired and all he wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep for days, but here he was in some strange cove at the mercy of some land dweller.

He almost wanted to laugh. He should have known something like this would happen. How the heck was he supposed to get out of this? Sure the land dweller said he was trying to help and had gotten him untangled but only to take him to some unknown place with no water in sight. Its not like he could exactly swim away.

What was he supposed to do now?

He was starting to get himself worked up thinking of the situation he was in and how to get out of it. He could feel his breathing coming in short pants, his gills trying to adjust to the air for the lack of water. He was becoming more aware of his scales and how dry they were becoming. His skin was starting to itch and the pain from his tail was starting to become a constant whether he moved it or not. But above everything Lance was becoming more aware of how exhausted he was. It was as if the air was sucking the energy straight out of his skin.

He began to slump down the wall, starting to have a hard time holding himself up. He wanted to give in to the exhaustion but he knew he couldn't, not with the land dweller hovering so close, still standing there staring at him. Speaking of the land dweller he seemed to have been inching closer this whole time and Lance wasn't sure if he had the energy left to fend him off.

At this point Lance couldn't think of anything else to do so he sat there glaring at the land dweller and waited for him to make his move. Luckily he didn't have to wait too long because in the next moment the land dweller was moving again. Lance gave one last hiss for good measure then the land dweller spoke up.

"Listen I don't know if you can understand me or not, but I'm not going to hurt you" the land dweller said as he took another step forward with his arms held up in front of him, as if in surrender. "I just want to patch up your wound so we can get you back to the ocean." Lance tried rolling his eyes but he just couldn't find the energy. He really didn't believe that all the land dweller wanted was to help him.

Lance wasn't that stupid.

Everyone wanted something from him and he had an entire lifetime full of betrayal and lies to prove it. Lance just didn't know what it was the land dweller wanted. Lance didn't know much about land dwellers. He hadn't even ever actually seen a land dweller before, except that one time, but he didn't want to think about that right now.

From the way the land dweller was looking at him he seemed to be actually telling the truth when he said he didn't know if Lance could understand him, which of course he could. Mers could understand most languages, English not being an exception. But if the land dweller didn't know that Lance sure wasn't going to be the one to tell him.

Now that Lance thought about it if the land dweller didn't know about this was it possible he didn't know about other things?

Lance remembered the way the land dweller had looked at him when he had first seen him. There was of course fear, which wasn't surprising. Lance himself had been terrified when he realized he had been seen. But once the fear had faded away it had been replaced by what Lance had thought was awe. As if the land dweller had never seen anything like him before.

Was it possible that he didn't know what Lance was? And if he didn't know what Lance was that also meant he didn't know what being a Blue meant. And if that were true then maybe the land dweller was actually telling the truth.

Was that even possible?

There was only one Mer in Lance's entire life that had been truthful with him and that honesty had terrified Lance to his very core. Lance felt a shiver run down his fins at the thought of that other Mer. At that Lance quickly shook his head trying to stop more thoughts of the past from emerging.

The land dweller must have taken the sudden shake of Lance's head as some sort of response because it had him speaking up again.

"Look, I don't like this situation any more than you do but it was the best I could come up with given the circumstances. I couldn't just leave you in the pool to get tangled again and I couldn't just dump you back in the ocean while you were passed out with a wound like that."

Wait, Lance thought to himself. What was this guy talking about? Did he say something about a wound? He did didn't he. Now that Lance thought about it this wasn't the first time the land dweller had mentioned it either. He quickly looked from the land dweller to where he had kept on pointing at his tail. It only took him a moment to find what the land dweller had been talking about and he was shocked at himself that he had missed it this whole time.

Starting under his left clasper and running diagonally up his tail toward his pelvic fin was a deep gash. Lance could feel himself start to panic as he took in the entirety of the wound. Unaware of Lance's freaking out Keith continued without pause.

"But I promise once I get the wound all cleaned up I can take you straight back to the ocean if you want. But you have to cooperate. Which means you have to let me touch you, preferably without tearing into me with those teeth you got there. So what's it going to be?"

Lance was no longer listening. He was too focused on the giant gash that now marred his scales. A Mers tail meant everything. Not only did it reflect your status but it was the main way of finding your truemate. He had long since given up on that ever happening, but now even if against all odds he did seem to find them, who would want him like this?

He couldn't help the little trills of distress that began to slip from his mouth. He buried his face in his hands as his trills of distress turned into full out sobs. Through his sobs he tried taking in deep breaths to calm himself down but with each breath he took it was becoming harder and harder to pull in air through his gills. As his breathing became more and more shallow the panic in his chest began to bubble over. He desperately grasped at his throat as he felt his gills give one last flutter then close.

He couldn't breathe.

 

~~~~~

 

Keith didn't know what to do.

He thought for the most part things had actually been going pretty good until they weren't. All he had been trying to do was explain that he meant no harm, that all he wanted to do was to help. Yet he had somehow ended up making the boy cry.  

Maybe the boy really couldn't understand him and had somehow taken what he had said horribly wrong. Or maybe the wound on his tail was causing him that much pain. He didn't know. All he knew was that he had a sobbing boy sitting on his bathroom counter and he had to somehow deal with it. Which was exactly the problem at the moment.

Keith had never been very good at consoling people.

He hadn't even realized anything was wrong until the boy started to make these odd little noises. At first he thought that maybe the boy was trying to respond to him until he saw the tears.

He had watched completely dumfounded as the boys crying had turned into sobs which now had turned into gasps for air.

Something wasn't right.

Keith quickly stepped forward as the boy had begun to grab at his neck. He was fiercely dragging his fingers over his skin and for a moment Keith was afraid that he was going to cut himself with his sharp nails. He was about to grab his hands to physically stop him when he saw the problem. His eyes nearly popped out of his head as he watched the boys gills flutter and then seal completely shut seaming to disappear.

Keith watched as the boys hands became more frantic in their realization that the gills that should have been there no longer were. He noticed the second that the boys brain caught up with what his hands already knew. A look of absolute panic washed over the boys face that Keith was sure was mirrored on his own.

Before the full blown panic could completely sink in for either of them Keith rushed forward and grabbed the boys hands pulling them away from his neck. Having his hands taken away from his throat the boy started to thrash his head back and forth.

"Hey, stop. Stop!" Keith half shouted, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. Having no other choice he quickly dropped the boys hands, grabbing each side of his face. The second the boys hands were free he reached up latching onto Keith's wrists. Keith winced letting out a hiss of pain as the boys sharp nails dug into his skin. Ignoring the pain he kept his grip on the boys face as he tried to catch his line of sight.

"Look at me. Look! You need to try and breathe through your nose ok? Just watch me." Keith kept his eyes glued to the boys as he took a deep breath in through his nose and let it out through his mouth. To Keith's dismay as he kept on breathing he watched the boys face grow redder and more strained as his body desperately struggled for air.

"You need to take a breath in through your nose" Keith said as he let go of one side of the boys face to tap on the side of his nose. The whole while the boy still gripping his wrist. Once again keeping his sight trained on the boys face he took in a deep breath. And once again he watched as the boy seemed to have no reaction other than to look like he was about to pass out. Starting to get frustrated Keith leaned in even closer and brought the boys left hand down and pressed it into his chest just below his neck.

The sensation of the boys palm pressing against him sent a chill down his spine. If it was possible he watched as the boys face got even redder as his eyes darted from his hand on Keith's chest up to his face.

"Now breathe with me" Keith said tightening his grip over the boys hand, pressing it more firmly against himself. He made sure to over exaggerate his breathing hoping the boy would feel it through his palm and understand. After his second breath he was sure the boy just wasn't going to get it.

He began to panic gripping the boys neck even tighter. What if he couldn't get the boy to breathe? What if the boy just dropped dead on his counter? What were you suppose to do with the dead body of a fish person the world probably knew nothing about?

Just as his thoughts were about to spiral out of control he felt a small puff of air on his cheek. His eyes shot up from where they had fallen to land on the boys face, who looked more shocked than Keith did. He could feel a smile creeping up on his face as he saw and heard the boy take a shuddery second breath.

"Finally" Keith breathed out, relief washing through him. "You had me worried for a minute there." He let a half smile pull at his lip as he watched the boy finally start to relax with each breath he took.

His relief was short lived though when all of a sudden the boy let out a cry so sharp it had him instantly dropping his head and pulling his hands away to cover his ears. He didn't even get a chance to look up to see what the hell even happened when in one quick motion the boys tail flung up at him knocking him down on his ass.

The boys cries were so sharp and piercing that he could feel them vibrating through his body. Keith didn't understand what was going on but for a moment it was as if he could understand the boys cries. The boy was terrified.

Keith tried to push himself up off the floor but the understanding of the boys cries were so resounding that he could almost feel the boys pain. Just when he thought he couldn't bear it anymore everything went silent.

It felt like a giant weight had been lifted off his chest and he quickly took in a few deep breaths of relief as he pulled himself up off the ground. Once standing he immediately turned to the boy to see what the hell all that was about, but any words he was about to say instantly died in his throat.

Keith could only stare open mouthed in shock. He tried to make sense of what he was seeing but he was pretty sure his brain just shut down. He blinked rapidly as his eyes slowly took in the form of the boy who was now laying slumped over and passed out on the counter.

Keith tried to focus on the fact that even though the boy was passed out he seemed to be breathing just fine now. He tried to focus on how it was only this morning that the only thing he had to worry about had been getting the yard clean, even though it now felt like a lifetime ago. He tried to focus on how what he was seeing really shouldn't surprise him, seeing as how this day had gone.

He tried to focus on anything, anything else. Anything other than the fact that where the boys tail had been just moments ago was gone and in its place were a pair of legs.

"Patience yields focus my ass..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have no idea how relieved I am to be done with this chapter. I have no idea what I struggled with it as much as I did because its pretty short but I feel like it took years... Anyway thanks to all for reading! I am hoping to get the next chapter out before Christmas, that's the plan anyway. As always your feedback is appreciated and if you feel like chatting come find my on twitter @OGSpaceMer


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